


Adventures in Babysitting

by ANobleCompanion



Category: Supernatural, The Incredibles (2004)
Genre: Crossover, Fluff, Gen, M/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 20:12:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/871503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANobleCompanion/pseuds/ANobleCompanion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Violet had asked Dean and Cas to babysit instead of Kari?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adventures in Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why this popped into my head. Really I don't. This started as a writing doodle...
> 
> Many thanks to the awesome and gorgeous Deanhugchester for the beta!

It was the kind of Saturday morning Dean loved.  He’d woken up next to Cas – or rather, he’d woken up with Cas wrapped around him - and since they had nowhere to be, they’d lain in bed exchanging lazy kisses until hunger got the best of them.  After a solid breakfast, they stood next to each other in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast, occasionally brushing arms, or lower backs or shoulders as they worked.   

A timid knock sounded from the front door just as they were finishing. Dean looked to Cas in surprise.  When people knocked on their door, they tended to fall into one of two categories: friends, who bordered more on family, and enemies.  The former arrived with confidence, the later, usually with anger or violence.  Dean could think of no one who would come up to their door and knock as if they weren’t sure who they would find inside.  Who knocked on a giant metal rusty door that looked like it might lead to a fallout shelter and thought, “this might be a good place to sell Girl Scout cookies?”

Cas returned Dean’s look, his brow furrowed slightly, equally confused.  Together, they moved towards the entrance, Dean making sure he had a knife in easy reach just in case the sound of the knock was a trick in and of itself.  

Over the years, Dean had learned to not create expectations.  In his experience, they rarely ever matched up with reality.  Despite that, the young girl on the other side of the door stopped him short.  Cas looked over the arm Dean was using to prop the door open to see what had caused the hunter to go stock still in surprise.   

The angel’s eyes widened in recognition then narrowed to a squint, tilting his head to the side as he tried to work out why the girl was there.  

“Violet?” he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Dean turned to look at his friend, thinking he couldn’t get more surprised.  Since when did Cas know the locals?  He turned back to observe the girl in front of him more closely.  She looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, with straight black hair, which hung just a little longer than shoulder length.  The way she slumped forward caused a sheet of it to fall in front of her face.  The posture made it seem as though she was trying to make herself smaller, less noticeable.  Dean recognized the stance as one Sammy would often adopt when they started a new school.  

She looked up in relief at the sound of a familiar voice.  “Mr. Castiel?” she asked, her voice shaking a little with nerves.  

“What’s wrong, Violet?” Cas gently pushed Dean’s arm out of the way in order to step forward and more easily address the girl.  

Dean, for his part, could only find himself looking back and forth between his angel and this new stranger.  Cas clearly caught Dean’s reaction and sighed in exasperation.    
“Dean, this is Violet.  She and her family live in the neighborhood on the other side of the railroad tracks.  I’ve passed by their home on the way to the grocery store.”  Considering this explanation to be sufficient, he turned his intense stare back to Violet.  

Violet’s eyes flickered between the two men, settling nervously on Dean.  Dean just shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile.  

“Mr. Castiel, I’m very sorry, but is it possible for you to watch my baby brother?  I’m supposed to be looking after him, but there’s kind of a family emergency happening and I can’t take him with me.”

Dean was  _not_  shocked by the questioning, slightly pleading, look Cas gave him.  He sighed internally and rolled his eyes.  He turned to look back at the girl.

“Violet, right?”  When the girl nodded, he continued, “So, Violet, I’m gathering you’ve met Cas a couple times, but you don’t know him well.  I don’t even know how you knew how to find him here.  Why on earth are you asking us to watch your brother?  Surely you’ve got someone else?”

“Weeeeell, I might have kinda followed him home one day,” Cas’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.  Dean was impressed the girl had managed to go unnoticed.  Ignoring their expressions, Violet continued, “and I don’t really have anyone else to ask.  You see, my family’s a little - odd. We don’t talk to people much.  Besides, none of our neighbors are home.  Please sir, this is an  _emergency_.”  

She put an emphasis on the last word in a way only a teenage girl could.  It told Dean nothing.  She could be talking about missing the latest movie or Lucifer breaking free from the Cage and it would have carried the same weight.  Dean frowned.

“What kind of emergency are we talking about here?  I can’t imagine your parents will be thrilled with the idea of you bailing on your brother to go running into trouble.”

Violet began to shift around, clearly getting anxious to get a yes or no and move on.  She kept throwing nervous looks over her shoulder. When Dean asked the question, she rolled her eyes in exasperation before looking at him again.  “Look, mister.  My Dad is an idiot.  Mom’s going after him, but she might need help so my younger brother and I are tagging along.  I can’t really explain the details, but it’s a family thing, ok?”

Cas watched Dean and knew Violet had hit his biggest soft spot.  He put his hand on Dean’s arm, pulling him aside gently so they were just out of earshot, “Dean,” he said, eyeing him imploringly. “Please, Dean?  I want to help her.  Besides, you’re so good with children.”  

“Cas, do you even know what’s involved with taking care of a baby?”

Cas frowned.  “Dean, I’m several millennia old.  I have spent much of that time watching humanity.  I am well aware of what’s involved in taking care of a young child.”  

Dean snorted in disbelief.  He had plenty of experience in how little Cas understood the day-to-day life based on what he had observed from humanity.  He still couldn’t understand how someone who spent so much time watching people and the last few years living with two humans, still couldn’t grasp the most basic cultural concepts.

Then Cas turned his blue gaze directly on him.  Dean may have developed immunity to Sam’s puppy dog eyes, but he couldn’t deny his angel anything.  He knew he was sunk.  Dean rolled his eyes as he turned back to Violet.  “Well?  Lead the way.”

 

* * *

 

 

Dean and Cas followed Violet into the neighborhood that bordered along the railroad tracks just to the north of the Batcave.  Dean wondered idly how far under many of the houses the bunker spread without any of the occupants knowing.  Before long, they were walking up to an early 1970’s era one-story house with a wide driveway.  

Violet led the two men into the house through the garage.  The 70’s feel extended inside with the furniture, shag carpeting and avocado green kitchen.  Rather than looking old, like much of the furniture in the Batcave, this appeared to be newer furniture with an intentionally retro feel.  

“So, Jack Jack is taking a nap right now.  I don’t know how long we’re gonna be gone.  Baby food is in the pantry.  Help yourself to anything in the fridge.  Tonight was supposed to be leftover night, so there’s lot’s to pick from.”  Violet walked ahead of them, pointing things out as she spoke.  She suddenly stopped and turned to them, eyeing them suspiciously - at least she was with the one eye Dean could see through the hair obscuring her face.  

“Wait a second.  You _do_ know how to feed a baby and change a diaper right?”

Dean huffed a laugh.  “I wouldn’t have agreed to this if I didn’t, kid.” He ignored the angel shuffling uncomfortably next to him.  Of course Cas hadn’t thought about the whole actual  _taking care_  of the baby bit.  

Suddenly, a second kid, a young boy about ten or eleven, appeared as though out of nowhere.  Whereas his sister was tall, dark and willowy, the boy was short, compactly built and blonde.  He was dancing around as though he had just taken down a two-liter bottle of full strength Mountain Dew, full of caffeine and sugar by himself.

“Vi - didja find someone, huh?  Are we ready to go?  C’mon, we gotta go!”  Dean raised his eyebrows as words spilled out of the kid’s mouth a mile a minute.  Beside him, Cas stilled and narrowed his eyes at the boy in a way that briefly had Dean’s instincts kicking in.  He must have visibly tensed because Cas shot him a look and gave a small shake of his head.  Dean relaxed back into civilian mode.  

Violet frowned at her brother as though in warning.  There wasn’t enough difference in their ages for the threat to be effective though.  

“Dash,” Violet said, and Dean knew he detected a note of caution in her voice.  “Mr. Castiel and Mr...,” she looked at Dean as though just realizing she didn’t know his name, which Dean found both amusing and irritating since she was about to entrust her baby brother to him.

“Dean Winchester,” he supplied, sticking his hand out to the kid.

“Dash, Dash Parr,” the boy said, shaking the proffered hand enthusiastically, his feet never stopping their constant motion.

“Vi...,” he whined.  “Let’s _go_ already!”

His sister huffed out a breath, exasperation clear on her face.  “Fine.  Will you two be alright?” she asked, looking at them again, suddenly seeming nervous about entrusting them with the youngest member of her family.  

Cas nodded.  “We have everything we need.”

“Hey, wait!” Dean said, stopping the two children as they prepared to run out the door.  “Don’t you want to leave a number in case something happens?”

Violet started and jogged to the kitchen as though angry with herself for not already having done this.  “Kay, here’s my mom’s cell.  Don’t think anything will come up.  Jack Jack’s a pretty normal baby...,” her tone seeming to suggest that could be up for debate.  Before Dean could press further, the two eldest Parr children were out the door and out of sight.  

 

* * *

 

 

Cas stared after the children for several moments, even though they could no longer be seen.  There was something off about the two, but he couldn’t place  _why_.  Certainly the boy moved at a speed not possible for an average human.  He was fairly sure Dean hadn’t even seen the boy arrive until he had stopped moving.  Violet seemed to somehow have the ability to make herself invisible - literally.  

Both children were clearly human.  He did not sense any traces of demon blood that would grant them extraordinary abilities like Sam had once experienced.  He supposed they could have made a deal with a crossroads demon.  Cas knew from the Winchester’s experiences with Bela and Ellie that demons were not above making deals with children.  Violet, during his few interactions with her, seemed far too sensible to do something like that, particularly for something as petty as superhuman capabilities.  He had not interacted enough with Dash to form an opinion on what he might do, though he did believe the boy was appropriately named and idly wondered if it was his given name or a nickname.  

It was also possible they had stumbled on a family of witches.  If that were true, they seemed to be harmless.  Cas knew their proximity to the bunker would have resulted in an immediate red flag if they chose to cause any trouble.  Being all too familiar with Dean’s opinions on witches, good and bad, Castiel decided not to mention his speculations until he was sure.  

Turning from the door, he smiled to see Dean stretching his arms above his head before dropping onto the sectional and reaching for the remote.  Looking over his shoulder, he opened his right arm in an invitation for Cas to sit beside him.  “You comin’?”

Cas smiled and moved to the couch, curling into Dean’s warmth as Dean wrapped his arm around him and dropped a kiss into Cas’s hair before letting out a contented sigh and turning on the television.  

Cas felt something ease inside of him.  This felt right.  He and Dean, sitting on the couch - Dean would protest loudly if he ever described it as ‘cuddling’ - with nothing more concerning than listening for a baby down the hall.  It felt - normal.  It felt like what Dean had sought the year he lived with Lisa.  

Cas cringed internally when he thought about Dean with Lisa and that aborted life of normalcy.  He sometimes wondered how much Dean regretted the decision to leave and have Cas wipe their memories.  Did he ever wish he could go back?  Cas sincerely hoped not.  It had taken them a long time and a lot of pain - often one of them inflicting it unwillingly on the other - but he had never been happier in all his existence than right there in that quiet moment with Dean.  

Cas didn’t know what they were watching, nor did he care.  His attention wasn’t focused on the television in front of him, but on the sensations radiating up from his shoulder where Dean’s thumb was rubbing absent minded circles and on the tiny huffs of laughter the hunter emitted when something in the show amused him.  

Both men basked in this simple contentment before the sound of a cry began to thread its way down the hall.  Dean grinned down at Cas.  “That’s our cue, dude.  You ready for this?”

Cas nodded and tipped his head upward to meet Dean’s lips for a quick kiss before pushing himself up off the couch.  He really felt Dean was pushing the “babies are hard” stand a bit too much.  Cas had battled through Hell, helped stop the apocalypse, and survived Purgatory.  Not to mention the monumental task of remaining friends with the Winchesters for the past eight years.  How hard could one human infant be?  

 

* * *

 

 

Dean slipped into the nursery ahead of Cas.  He had to bite down on his bottom lip.  He was willing to bet Cas had no idea what to expect when dealing with a baby.  

When Dean reached the side of the crib, he had to chuckle at the picture Jack Jack made.  He had a very stereotypical baby cowlick, the likes of which Dean had only seen in cartoons.  His face was scrunched up in unhappiness at the prospect of being awake.  No doubt the little guy needed a diaper change.

Dean shot a grin over his shoulder at Cas.  “Kinda reminds me of you in the mornings.”

Cas frowned at the comparison as he looked down at the child in the crib.  “I have never soiled myself in my sleep, Dean.  Nor do I wake up crying.”

Dean smirked lasciviously.  “Actually, I can think of a few times you  _have_  woken up screaming.” He winked and Cas blushed.  “What I meant though,” Dean continued, “was cranky.  You’re not exactly the most pleasant of creatures in the morning you know.  At least not before nine am.”

“I’m an angel, Dean.  Sleeping does not come naturally.  Nor, by extension, does waking. I am unique in my kind in cultivating the habit.”

Dean just reached down to pick up Jack Jack and then leaned over to give Cas a light kiss to let him know the comment was not intended as an insult.  “I like it.”

As Cas watched Dean laid Jack Jack out on the changing table, his heart twisted inside. Fate saw fit to keep denying Dean something that came naturally to him: being a loving parent.  And a child was not something Cas could just give to Dean, as much as he wanted to.  And suddenly, he wanted to very much.  He wanted someone else to firmly link this man to him and wipe out any regrets of his past.  

“Dean?  Do you ever think of having children?”

Dean, who had been deftly applying a new diaper after cleaning the baby as though it was something he did every day, stopped and looked up in amusement.  “Me?  Hell no.”

Cas was surprised, “Why not?”

“Dude, I am not father of the year material.  I’ve already proven several times over how much I would screw a kid up.”

“But, Dean,” Castiel protested, finding himself extremely upset by Dean’s reaction to his question, “you’re amazing with children.”  Cas’s brow was furrowed; genuinely surprised at something he thought should be so obvious.  

“Yeah, sure, Cas.  I raised Sam and he wound up dead, addicted to demon blood, started the apocalypse, got sent to Hell and walked around soulless for a year before I realized it.  Then there’s Ben, whom I not only physically hurt, but also nearly got killed when I let his mother get possessed.  And then Emma...” Dean looked at Cas with eyes full of amused self-deprecation that tore at the angel’s heart.  “Do you need any more reasons?”

Cas looked at Dean sadly, but he knew arguing with the hunter would be useless.  Maybe he could prove to Dean during this job that he was worthy of being a father.  He didn’t think about what the end point might be, should he succeed.

As Dean picked Jack Jack up again, he cradled the baby against his hip and moved towards the kitchen and food.  Cas followed, pulling out the smartphone Sam insisted he needed in case he had to look up a fact on location while working a case.  Now, he used it to look up details on the proper way to take care of a baby.  

“Dean, according to this Baby Einstein site, young children are stimulated in their growth by classical music.”

Dean snorted.  “Who wouldn’t be stimulated by a bit of Led Zeppelin?”

“Dean, I think they are referring to the classical composers of the time western historians refer to as the Age of Reason.  Mozart, Beethoven, and later, in the 19th century, the romantic composer Tchaikovsky...”

Dean wrinkled his nose in distaste and shook his head as Cas spoke.  “That’s no way to properly introduce a kid to music, Cas.”  

“But Dean, this information source clearly states...”

“Rule number one, Cas - don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.”

“Dean, I believe in the last year alone, you have cited at least twelve different ‘rule number ones.’”

Dean’s grin split his face and made Cas’s heart beat a little faster.  “Yeah, well, they were all important.” He turned back to Jack Jack who was now in his highchair and burbling happily as his head moved back and forth between the two men.  

“You’ll remember that rule, won’t you, little dude?  That and Zeppelin is always a greater classic than Mozart.”

Dean unscrewed the lid to a small jar of baby sweet potatoes and opened a few drawers before finding and pulling out a small spoon.  

Cas still wasn’t convinced by Dean’s logic and Dean could tell by the look on the angel’s face he was going to need to do something to prove his point.  “Ok, Cas, why don’t we let Jack Jack decide?” He looked back at Jack Jack and smiled, dipping the spoon into the potatoes and then zooming it like an airplane to Jack Jack’s mouth.  The baby gurgled happily and opened wide to take in the spoon.

“How do you suggest we do that?”

“Easy.  We play him some of both and see which one he likes best.”

Cas nodded.  “That sounds reasonable.”

Dean glanced up at Cas, grinning.  Jack Jack promptly beat his fist on the table of his high chair in protest to the loss of Dean’s attention.  

“Alright, little dude.  Yeesh, you’re more demanding than Sam is - was.”  He offered up another spoonful of pureed orange and Cas wondered how anyone could enjoy food that looked like that with any level of enthusiasm.  Clearly though, Jack Jack was not as picky.

Once the baby had been fed and cleaned, Dean washed his hands and pulled out his phone.  He called up the music feature and began to scroll through his list of songs.  

“I’m pretty sure Sam slipped some classical stuff on here to piss me off.  Never got around to deleting it...ah ha!” He clicked on the folder titled ‘Sam’s Playlist’ and chose a song at random.  The suite to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake filled the air.  Dean would never admit in a thousand years he actually kind of liked the music and he told himself it was just because of Natalie Portman’s bad-assery in  _Black Swan_ that made him think so.  

Jack Jack for his part, merely tilted his head - and Dean was  _not_  making mental connections to how similar it was to Cas’s head tilt and how freakin’ adorable it was - but just continued to blow spit bubbles and make distracted baby mumbles.  

Cas watched closely, but he couldn’t detect any changes that might indicate increased mental stimulation.  It didn’t help that he had no idea what he should be looking for.  He knew better than to expect the baby to start speaking in full sentences.  

Dean, to his credit, did let the song play through to its conclusion.  If they were going to do this test, he was going to be fair about it.  Besides, he was confident the baby would prefer what he picked.  It was already queued up on the player, so Dean only needed to tap the screen in order to make it start.  

At first, the reaction was no different, but when the distinctive riff of  _Black Dog_  filtered through the phone's speakers, Jack Jack went stock-still and his eyes zeroed in on the source of the music.  As Cas watched, he saw the baby’s eyes unfocus and dilate much like he knew his did when he received one of Dean’s prayers.  He wondered what kind of signal Jack Jack was getting.  

The reaction only lasted for a second and Cas doubted Dean caught all the nuances involved.  Dean must have seen something though since his hunter crowed in delight.  

“See, Cas?  Kid’s got good taste.  Zeppelin wins!”  Cas sighed and watched Dean fondly as he turned back to the sink to rinse the sweet potato jar and wash the spoon.  He still wasn’t convinced of the value of Dean’s music, but it was nice to see Dean so happy around the baby.  

The sound of the phone ringing startled them both.  Dean looked at it for a second as though trying to decide if he should answer someone else’s phone or not.  After a moment, he shrugged and reached out to pick it up off the hook.  “Parr residence,” he said.  As Cas watched, Dean’s face changed to one of reassurance, despite the fact that the voice on the other end of the phone couldn’t see him.  “Mrs. Parr.  Yes, my name is Dean Winchester.  We’re - neighbors - of sorts.  I assure you ma’am it’s no trouble.  I helped raise my younger brother and I’m pretty familiar with taking care of little kids.” Dean paused to listen to Mrs. Parr’s response.  “Jack Jack’s fine, I promise.  He’s up from his nap and changed.  We just had a snack and played some music...If you feel you’d be more comfortable with a professional service, I completely understand.  Hey, you don’t know me from Adam, but I assure you, we have everything under control...Mrs. Parr?  Are you there?”  Dean paused for another second, though this time Cas could tell he was waiting for a response.  Raising his eyebrows, Dean hung up the phone and turned back to Cas.  

“Must have lost the signal.  Might be a short job, not sure she’s too comfortable with two strange dudes watching her kid.  She mentioned she might call a babysitting service.  Like we can’t handle the little tyke!” Dean flashed a smile at Cas.

“Ok, Jack Jack,” Dean turned back to the baby and suddenly froze, shock clear on his face.

Cas spun around to see what was wrong.  Jack Jack was gone.  Cas immediately bent down to see if the baby had somehow managed to climb out of his high chair and was crawling around on the floor.  

Dean had a glint of panic in his face.  He looked almost as though he had been waiting for something like this to happen, despite his reassurances to Mrs. Parr only seconds ago.  Cas put a hand on Dean’s arm.  “Calm down, Dean.  He probably just climbed out of the chair.”

Dean nodded, but internally thought Jack Jack was way too young to be able to accomplish that so quickly and quietly.  He briskly walked from the kitchen to the living room and sagged in relief as he spotted the baby sitting and giggling happily to himself in the center of the floor as he grabbed at his toes.  

“How did you manage that, little dude?” Dean reached down to scoop the baby off the floor.  “I’m gonna have to keep an eye on you.  You might be even smarter than Sammy was at your age.”

Cas stood in the doorway, relieved that the child was unharmed, but he narrowed his eyes in speculation.  This was yet another child in the Parr family that demonstrated an ability beyond normal human capability.  Despite what he had told Dean, he knew Jack Jack’s physical development had not yet advanced enough to climb down from the high chair.  He agreed the child needed to be closely watched.  Cas was beginning to recognize key characteristics of the children’s capabilities.  He still wasn’t ready to share his observations with Dean though in case he was wrong.  He did decide to phone Mrs. Parr again while Dean was distracted.  He wondered if she had observed any particular tendencies in her youngest child.  After all, Violet had told them Jack Jack seemed to be a normal baby - though at the time Castiel had not understood the underlying meaning.  The call went to voicemail, so Cas left a brief message before returning to Dean and Jack Jack on the sectional.  

The next hour proceeded without incident.  Dean happily sat on the floor with his back to the couch reading through several different, brightly illustrated books.  As he read, he commented on the pictures and made his own asides about the story itself.  Both Cas and Jack Jack were lulled by the soothing sound of Dean’s voice, filled as it rarely was with peace and humor.  

After about an hour, Dean excused himself to use the restroom, depositing Jack Jack on a blanket in the center of the floor.  As he got up, he dropped a kiss on Cas’s forehead.  “Think you can handle him for a minute?” he asked, grinning.

“Yes, Dean.  I think we will be alright for the span of time it will take you to relieve yourself,” he said, his voice thick with reproof.  

Once Dean left, Cas wasn’t sure what to do other than to watch the baby.  Conversation seemed to be a moot point since Jack Jack could not yet respond - though Cas knew that hadn’t stopped Dean.  It did not take long before Jack Jack became bored and started talking to himself.  He reached for his toes again and wound up over balancing as he rolled onto his back.  To Cas’s surprise, rather than rolling to his side and pushing himself back up, Jack Jack began to levitate gently of the ground.  It was the most blatant use of ability Cas had been able to observe.  He knew his suspicions were correct, but the question now was  _how_.  Cas heard Dean finishing up in the bathroom.  He knew Dean’s gray area on the inherent good and bad of supernatural beings had expanded significantly over the years, and he had proved willing to care for a supernatural child with Bobby John, but Cas felt irrationally protective of what Jack Jack was, even if Cas wasn’t sure of the specifics. So he quickly moved off the couch and snatched Jack Jack from the air and returned with him to his seat before Dean could emerge.  

When Dean entered the room, his eyes softened as he took in the sight of his angel holding a baby.  There was a tug somewhere in his chest near his heart.  Despite what he had told Cas, yeah, he sometimes thought about what it would be like to be a dad - but it was always with Cas by his side.  Still didn’t change his point from earlier, but watching Cas with a baby weakened his resolve quite a bit.  

“Looks good on you, Cas” Dean said leaning against the frame of the door.

Cas looked down at the baby on his lap.  He had picked him up to cover his secret, but now that Jack Jack was in his lap for the first time, he found he liked the weight of the baby.  It was comforting in a way nothing else in his life had been.  

And then Jack Jack burst into flames.  

 

* * *

 

 

“Holy  _shit_!” Dean yelled, jumping forward, trying to figure out what he should do.  He didn’t have any water on him.  His immediate reaction was to get the baby away from Cas, torn between trying to figure out how to save the kid and saving his angel.  

As soon as his hands touched Jack Jack, he yelped in pain.  

“Dean!” Cas cried.

Jack Jack immediately extinguished himself.  The entire exchange lasted maybe a total of thirty seconds.  Dean stared, holding his hands out, raw and red.  The baby looked completely normal, as did the angel on whose lap he sat.  Neither seemed harmed by the fire.  

As soon as Jack Jack went out, Cas shifted him to the couch and jumped up, grasping Dean’s hands in his own.  Dean felt the cooling relief immediately as Cas healed the burns.  

“What the hell!” Dean exclaimed stare shifting between Cas to Jack Jack.  As his gaze landed on the baby, Jack Jack disappeared.  Dean blinked.  A laugh from behind him caused him to spin around, only to spot the baby perched on the top of a bookshelf, leaning precariously forward.

“Crap!” Dean leapt forward as Jack Jack tipped over the edge.  Just before he hit Dean’s arms, he vanished again, only to appear, laughing, in Cas’s.  The baby was clearly pleased with what he considered to be a new game.  

Dean’s eyes met Cas’s, expecting to see the same frantic confusion, but instead he found inevitable resignation.  “Cas?  Do you know what’s going on here?”

Cas sighed.  It was clearly too late to deflect and he had long ago learned his lesson about lying to Dean.  He would not start the practice again.  

“I have observed that the Parr children seem to have specific...abilities...that average humans do not.”

Dean frowned, his eyes flickering down to Jack Jack.  “Care to elaborate? What exactly do you mean, ‘specific abilities,’ Cas?  Are they human?”

“Yes,” Cas said emphatically.  “All three children are human.”  Cas anticipated Dean’s next question and answered just as Dean opened his mouth to ask.  “All three are also free from the taint of demon blood and Jack Jack is clearly too young to make a deal or practice witchcraft.  I have thought of all of these possibilities.”  He hesitated, Dean watching him expectantly.  Cas instinctively tightened an arm around Jack Jack, who seemed content where he was.  

“The majority of the abilities I’ve witnessed seem to be - angelic in nature,” Cas said quietly.  

Dean blinked again.  “Wha - how?  They aren’t baby angels are they?  I thought God was the only one who could create angels.  I didn’t think you...procreated the way we do.  Except...” Dean’s eyes took on a new level of understanding.  

Cas nodded.  “I would need to contact their parents to be sure, but I would suspect that somewhere on their family tree, there is at least one nephilim ancestor.  Likely at least one of their parents has some level of ability as well.”

Cas turned thoughtful as he explained what he had observed so far to bring him to his current conclusions.  “They are not angels.  I am not quite sure how their abilities are manifesting - they don’t have Grace as I understand it.  I would have sensed it long before now if they did.  A better description would be an enhanced soul.  Violet has the ability to cloak herself.  Dash can move at a speed close to an angel’s, though he is confined to using his legs rather than wings.  

“Jack Jack seems to be the greatest mystery.  He certainly has the ability to fly - that’s how he moved from the high chair and to the bookcase, but I cannot detect wings.  Nor can I explain the fire.  It is almost as if through their angelic traits have become genetically modified.  Over several generations, it is possible the merging of Grace and soul would lead to a mutation of some kind, leading to alternate manifestations of power.”

Just then, Jack Jack hiccupped – and burst into flames again.  Fortunately, the fire did not seem to affect Cas who continued to hold him unconcernedly.  Dean eyed the kid warily before turning to the fireplace and pulling on a thick set of fireproof gloves.  Carefully, he reached out to take Jack Jack.  “Why don’t I attempt to give this little guy a bottle while you go call his mom?”

Holding the baby at a cautious arms length, he moved to set him carefully in the sink, turning on the faucet and extinguishing the baby before setting about putting together a bottle.  

Cas pulled out his phone.  Mrs. Parr had not returned his earlier call, but thought there was no harm in trying again.  

Sure enough, the phone went straight through to voicemail.  “Mrs. Parr?  This is Castiel again.  Everything is still fine, but I was wondering what you knew about your family’s heritage.  Has anyone in your family ever displayed unusual tendencies?  Please call me back as soon as you’re able.” Cas left his number again in case she chose to call that rather than the house phone and hung up.  

“Jack Jack!”

The shout from the kitchen had Castiel flying to Dean’s side.  He found Dean holding a highly reflective silver-serving platter protectively in front of his face.  A glance at the ceiling revealed a precise burn line that looked as though it had been created by...

“Laser eyes, Cas!  The kid is like friggin’ Cyclops on command!”  Cas didn’t understand that reference.

As the day progressed, Jack Jack revealed an ability to gnaw through wood, float through walls, and turn to a heavy lump of lead.  Dean was grateful the kid seemed to find the whole thing a game and absolutely hilarious.  He hated to think about the damage Jack Jack could cause if he decided to throw a proper tantrum.  

By midnight, he was exhausted.  Neither Dean nor Cas had been able to reach the Parrs on the number Violet had left.  Both had assumed the family would have returned by now.  Finally, Jack Jack started to nod off.  It started off as a heavy blink and progressed to the baby repeatedly dropping and catching his head as he fought to stay awake.  

Making sure the fire gloves were in place, Dean picked the baby up out of the tub where they had placed him to minimize the fire damage.  Holding him close against his shoulder, Dean began to hum and then sing the opening lines to  _Hey Jude_  as he moved out of the bathroom and into the living room to have space to walk and rock.  

Cas was spread out asleep on one side of the sectional sofa.  They had decided to take turns as long as Jack Jack remained awake.  Now, as Dean looked down at the baby settling comfortably against his chest, it was hard to imagine such a little tyke causing so much mayhem.  When Jack Jack’s back began to rise and fall in an easy rhythm under his hand, Dean carefully settled on the other edge of the sofa so his head was lying near Cas with the baby curled up on his chest.  It was only a few heartbeats before he was sound asleep as well.

 

* * *

 

 

Castiel woke with the sun full in his face.  He automatically lifted his hand to shield his eyes as he looked around.  His gaze softened when it fell on Dean and Jack Jack, both still deeply asleep.  A knock at the door pulled Cas out of his reverie.  Not wanting to wake his hunter or the baby, he moved quickly to the door to intercept a second summons.  

Cas only opened the door a small amount, conscious of the damage in the room behind him.  When he took in the figure on the other side of the threshold, he frowned in confusion.  The man certainly was not dressed in a manner typical for humans he had observed

A mask obscured the man’s face, and he wore a tight uniform of stretchy material.  For some unknown reason, he was also wearing a cape over his shoulders.  Cas supposed it was intended to function in a manner that would keep the man protected from the elements considering the rest of his less than sensible choice of clothing.  Though the width and thickness suggested it would do little good and was superfluous anyway given the warm, sunny morning.  

“Can I help you?”

“Is this the Parr residence?” the unusual man asked.

“It is.  The Parrs are not home at the moment.”

“Yes, I’m aware.  They sent me to take over for you.”

“We’ve had no communication from Mrs. Parr indicating you were coming.”  Though, Cas did recall Dean saying Mrs. Parr had not really been comfortable with two strange men watch her son and that she might call a professional service.  

“Are you from the babysitting service?”

“Yeeees, yes I am.”

Cas frowned again, the man had not sounded sure about his response, only gaining certainty as he thought about it.  

“What does the ‘S’ stand for?” Cas asked, indicating the other man’s chest.  

“It...stands foooor...sitter.”

The way the man continued to draw out his sentences made Castiel increasingly suspicious.  Perhaps this was a typical representation of a professional sitter, but Cas had no experience to draw on.  He wished Dean were awake to help him clarify the situation.  At the moment, he had no intention of handing over Jack Jack to this man.  Cas was momentarily stunned by the wave of protectiveness that surged through him.

A shuffling noise sounded behind him and Dean appeared at his back, Jack Jack wide-awake and burbling happily in his arms.  One look at the guy on the stoop had him smirking as though he was trying to reign in his laughter.  “What’s up, Cas?”

“According to this man, he represents a professional babysitting service Mrs. Parr contacted to relieve us,” Cas said, staring hard into Dean’s eyes to convey his disbelief on the matter.  

Dean agreed.  No way he was giving Jack Jack over to a douchebag in spandex.  Charlie would have laughed her ass off at him even at a con.  

“What’s with the suit, dude?  You some kind of superhero wannabe?”

Anger flared bright in the man for a second.  “I  _am_  a super!” he shouted, his face flushed and his eyes dark.  Almost immediately he seemed to remember his audience.  “A, a super sitter!” He tried to laugh and flash a winning smile that reminded Dean of Meg when she was enjoying the chaos around her even if it wasn’t of her own making.  

“Uh huh,” said Dean.  “Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m Syndrome!”

And Dean couldn’t help rolling his eyes because the idjit had actually stood straight up and fisted his hands on his hips.  Was this guy frickin’ for real?  

Cas narrowed his eyes and cocked his head. “Your parents chose to name you after a psychological disorder?”

“No, no, no, that’s not my real name.  It’s my super...sitter name.”

And again with the hips.  Dean decided he’d had enough of this guy.  He shifted Jack Jack to his other side and looked Syndrome right in the eye.  “Pretty sorry ass name man.  Needs work.  And if you’re going for the superhero theme? Epic fail.  Only Batman can pull off the black and you are no Batman.  So I’m thinkin’ you’re just an idiot.  No way am I handing Jack Jack over to you without direct confirmation from Mrs. Parr.”  He nodded to Cas, who was already moving back inside the doorframe with his phone out.  

Consequently, neither hunter nor angel saw the ugly dark look that passed Syndrome’s face until it was too late.  

“I am  _tired_  of people  _mocking_  me!” he shouted, apoplectic with rage.  “What?  You think you’re better than me?

Syndrome shoved Dean backward as he turned back to face the spandexed cartoon of a man.  Dean heard Cas on the phone leaving a message.  

“Mrs. Parr, this is Castiel again.  There is a strange person here claiming to be from a babysitting service.  However, as he is now forcing his way into the home, I don’t believe his claim to be genuine.  Don’t worry, everything is under control.”

Dean rolled his eyes and felt a flash of pity for the mother who got that message.  Too quickly though, his attention was forced back to Syndrome.  With Jack Jack in his arms, his options were limited in terms of what he could do to defend himself.  

“What makes  _you_  so special?  You don’t have powers.  You’re not a super.  I’m  _better_  than you.  I’m better than all the supers too!  Just you wait!   _I’m_  going to be the most popular super!” Syndrome shouted, spitting in his rage.

Dean just looked at him.  “Dude,” he snorted, “You’re nuts.”

It was the wrong thing to say. Syndrome’s finger shot out in front of him and emitted a pale blue beam, freezing Dean in place with Jack Jack still in his arms.  And  _what_  the  _hell_?

Just then, Cas walked back into the room.  His eyes immediately flew to Dean, blue headlights flashing in fear and fury.  “Dean!” he shouted.  Syndrome laughed and pointed his other finger towards Cas, shooting another blue beam at the angel.  

Nothing happened.

Dean wanted to laugh at the shock on Syndrome’s face as Castiel, the avenging Angel of the Lord stalked towards him. Dean was still frozen, unable to speak, so he prayed instead.

 _You get that son-of-a-bitch, Cas.  Don’t worry about me._   

Cas nodded, acknowledging the message even though he didn’t take his eyes from Syndrome.  

“If you harm a hair on  _either_  of their heads,” Cas growled, his voice dropping an octave in his rage, “I will smite you, whether you are human or not.”

For the first time, there was fear in Syndrome’s eyes.  “I, I don’t understand.  Why didn’t you freeze?  It works on supers.  I’ve tested it on every super! What  _are_  you?”

“I’m an Angel of the Lord, assbutt.  I have powers you can’t begin to comprehend and I guarantee you, you will not win in a fight against me.”

Syndrome’s eyes hardened again, Dean suspected the reaction was more to the threat to his superiority than his safety.  Cuz the guy definitely seemed to have a superiority complex.  

 _“No!_  I finally have the perfect revenge!  If I take Mr. Incredible’s son and raise him as my protege, I can  _break_  him!”

 _What the_  hell, Dean thought.   _Mr. Incredible_? Suddenly, the pieces all began to fall into place.  This moron kept talking about supers.  The kids had special powers. They were the children of one of the most well known superheroes of the last decade.  _Holy frickin’ comic books, Batman!_  Superheroes were...real?  And they were the descendants of friggin'  _angels_?  Charlie was never going to believe this. 

None of this registered with Cas who zapped himself in front of Syndrome, his hand wrapping around the villains throat.  “You will do no such thing.”

Syndrome glared at Cas, which Dean had to admit took some balls because Cas was staring him down with all his righteous fury.  That or the guy was more effing nuts than even Dean gave him credit for.  Probably the later.  

Suddenly, Syndrome smiled maliciously.  He dropped Dean and Jack Jack as he reached around to his belt and pressed a button on the side.  Just then, his boots ignited, melting the linoleum beneath him in less than a second.  Obviously he thought he was about to make a clean getaway.  Clearly he wasn’t counting on Cas’s strength.   

Cas merely grabbed the back of Syndrome’s cape near the collar and held him in place.  Then he reached down with his free hand and ripped the belt from his waist, tossing it behind him to Dean, who promptly pushed the button, turning off the jet boots.  

Dean smirked at Syndrome.  “Dude, don’t you even  _read_  comic books?  This is why Marvel is better than DC - no capes!  Unless you're Batman.  He’s the exception.”  

Between the two of them, Dean and Cas quickly divested Syndrome of the rest of his gadgets and tied him to a chair.  Cas did the actual tying and Dean was pretty sure he wrapped the rope a little tighter than was strictly necessary, but he wasn’t going to say anything.  The man’s constant threats and accusations grated on Dean’s nerves badly enough that he put a gag in the man’s mouth as well.  Jack Jack sat in his high chair observing the proceedings, clapping his hands and laughing like it was the continuation of a game.

Once Syndrome was secured, Dean went to change Jack Jack while Cas prepared a bottle, the two falling into the domestic routine they had begun the day before with startling ease and comfort.  

They were just settling back down on the couch, getting ready to watch some tv, when the door suddenly burst open and four people in matching red uniforms crashed through, fighting ready.  Dean and Cas both recognized the build of Violet and Dash despite the masks.  

Dean and Cas stood up and Dean extended his hand to the adults in front of him.  “Mr. and Mrs. Parr I presume?  Hi, I’m Dean Winchester.  This is Castiel.  I think you know Syndrome over there,” he nodded his head towards the lunatic screaming around the gag in the corner.  “Just want to say, if you ever need a babysitter again, let us know.”  


End file.
